


Companion We Crave

by RebeccaKrum



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Romance, TARDIS - Freeform, a companion, doctor who - Freeform, realistic?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-08-15
Packaged: 2017-12-23 13:17:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/926908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebeccaKrum/pseuds/RebeccaKrum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” <br/>― Lao Tzu</p>
<p>“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,<br/>Love like you'll never be hurt,<br/>Sing like there's nobody listening,<br/>And live like it's heaven on earth.” <br/>― William W. Purkey</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> When I first started writing this, it was supposed to be my interpretation of what a realistic companion would be like. Not saying that some of you wouldn't be as brave as the companions are. What I'm saying is, it was supposed to be what it'd be like if the Doctor were to pick up someone like me. However, Serenity turned out to be a little more quick on her feet, and the Doctor turned out to be into it. So, what I'm saying is, it's not as realistic as I had hoped, but hey! It's the romance we all crave!

My mother had always told me Aliens weren't real, but I saw the films. I saw the video's and picture proof. I had studied as many of the theories as a normal, half-way interested young person might. But the day I met him, well, I have to say I was a bit surprised. He looked just like any human would; however, I knew right away he was not. He was just too handsome to be human. Dazzling bright excited yet tired eyes, a smile that could make any girl faint, and soft flowing hair that puts a lion’s mane to shame. He stood straight and tall, impossible posture. A calmness in his voice showed he had done this many times before, the twinge of worry, however, was evident. He was polite "Ma'am, you and your family are in danger, you need to leave immediately." It was an odd request, I did not honestly want to question him, but he wanted me to leave my house. What if he was a robber? A well dressed, British man come to steal all my things because he was beautiful and had mind powers. That was not happening.

"Who are you?" I asked, looking back into the house. My cats had gathered around the door, looking out, and ready to make their escape. I pushed them away with my feet. "Maybe I should just come outside." I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind me.

"I'm the Doctor." he said worry lines appearing on his face. "And you have to trust me. Have you noticed anything weird lately? Anything at all?" He put his hands together, wringing them like he had to pee but did not want to be rude. 

"No... I don't think so." I looked around the yard. Everything seemed to be normal, except a large blue police box sitting in the car port. "Except that, what's that?" I pointed to the box. 

"That's mine." his voice wavered "Anything else?" The Doctor (what a strange name) seemed to be getting a little frustrated. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a strange flashlight that eluded a green shimmering bulb of light at the end. He waved it around my house like a madman, grunting as he did so. The look of confusion must have been written blatantly on my face, for he answered my unspoken question. "It's a Sonic Screwdriver." he exhaled. 

"You're an alien." I laughed. His eyes shot to mine. A giggle escaped my quivering lips again. "Don't give me that look, it's obvious. Pretty boys like you don't live 'round these parts. And they definitely don't tell me to 'leave' because I'm 'in danger' or even have sonic anything. Unless it's fast food from Sonics in the next town over.

"So what are you called then?" I waited before saying "I mean, you're called the Doctor, I'm called Grace, but what I mean is, I'm human so what species are you?" 

"I'm a Time Lord" he gave me a half smile, his tired eyes faltering, crashing to the ground "The last one." 

"I'm so sorry..." I whispered. 

"It's alright. I mean it's not. But that's not the issue at hand. May I come in?" 

 

Hours later, my home, family, and pets were saved from some dreadful beast of robots called 'Cybermen'. The only thing that did not survive was my laptop. The only thing I loved in the world. I would have had a ceremony once the Doctor had left, but he did something I would never forget. 

We were saying our goodbyes in front of the thing he called a Tardis, and I thanked him from the bottom of my heart for saving us. His body was half-way in the door, when I grabbed his arm, he turned to me.   
"By the way Doctor, you owe me a laptop. That thing was my life." A smiled crept up his face. 

"You're right." He raised up his hand and grabbed my hand from his arm. He held it gently, rubbing tenderly with his thumbs. "I owe you a new life." He pulled me slightly closer to him. "Come with me."

"To space?" I asked, eyebrows furrowing together. 

"I can take you anywhere you want to go. Anywhere in space and time."

"Time too?" I looked down at my shoes. "I should have known. Time Lord. Makes since." 

"So?" 

"Yes." I looked up into his eyes. They sparkled, reflecting the setting sun through the trees. I turned away, looking back at the house I grew up in, my mother in the door. "Let me say goodbye first." I said running away from him.

My mom was my best friend in the world. I did not want to leave her behind in the town she grew up in and had longed to leave for so long. Thus, she willed me to go. With her doubts of course. She was rethinking her whole life now that she knew aliens were real and she needed time to think. "He seems alright, and he did save us. Just be careful. I love you." she said. I grabbed her in a tight hug. 

"I love you too mama."

 

I did not tell her, and I did not tell the Doctor either, but I had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I ignored it, covering it with the butterflies I felt every time I looked at the man in the fancy clothes. I had always wanted to travel, but never had the money, or the confidence. I would just live my life vicariously through people on the internet. I hoped he could break me from my shell. 

The first thing he did was give me a tour of the Tardis which, by the way, was MUCH bigger on the inside. The tour went on until I was too tired to even walk anymore. He then explained that the Tardis was infinite. In other words that tour would have never ended if I would not have fallen from exhaustion. Thank goodness for weak knees. I sat on the floor of the giant library, panting from all the walking and the excitement of seeing so many books in one place. He laughed a laugh that could make rainbows as he bent down and picked me up into his arms. He was strong. So strong. I could not believe he could lift me and then walk the distance it took to get to where we were going. 

After a few minutes, he pushed a large red button with my foot and a purple door opened to reveal a large, well decorated bedroom. "This is your room." his words were almost whispers. My eye lids had been fluttering, blinking slowly. He lay me down on the bed and pulled the sheets up to my chin. "Get some rest. When you wake up, we can go on an adventure." His footsteps were quiet. 

"Wait" I called out, voice hoarse from sleepiness. He turned and looked at me in the door way. I closed my eyes, fighting sleep with all I had. "Won't you stay with me?" I inquired. 

"Stay with you?" he asked confused. I pat the empty side of the bed with my right hand, smoothing out the covers. "Oh." he frowned. "Perhaps another time." The lights flickered off and in moments I was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”   
> ― Voltaire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMC YOU KEPT READING!! DOES THAT MEAN YOU LIKE IT???  
> *clears throat* heh heh, sorry. Umm.... THANK YOU FOR READING  
> I LOVE YOU.

I woke up hours later. Who knew how many? There were no clocks, which would normally drive me mad, but I knew that there was no need for them in a time machine. Except on the dash of course, which tells you time place and period. The bedroom was much more detailed than I had originally thought. The bed was bigger than any I had ever seen, and draped in heavy white curtains. A chandelier hung delicately in the center of the room, crystals gleaming happily. The wall paper was white with golden designs that reminded me of my grandmother’s house, but modernized. An open door at the back of the room lead to a bathroom as large as the bedroom was. It was as if this man had stepped right into my dreams and created my greatest fantasy. There was a jet tub, large enough for four people, surrounded by candles, and a shower large enough for six people. The closet was stocked full with clothes from every earth era and some others I did not recognize. I picked through them and found an outfit I thought would suit me and laid it on the counter. A quick shower would probably be best before going to see the Doctor. Or really, before going on an adventure to find the man in the ridiculously large ship. 

The clothes fit nicely. Not too big, not too snug, just perfect. I wondered if the Tardis created clothes the way it created new rooms. A knock rung loud against the bedroom door. “Serenity?” the voice called. Hurriedly, I straightened out my clothes before answering. 

“Yes” I called “Come in.” The door slid open and the tired young man entered the room without hesitation. 

“You look lovely” he smiled. His eyes caressed my figure for no more than a second. I could tell he was not like most men whose eyes would never cease to wonder. This was a man, alien, who knew there was more to life than what meets the eye. More to life than lust. “A dear friend of mine decorated this room.” He looked up at the chandelier. “She was sick, had the sniffles, and didn’t want to leave the Tardis. She was the type who had to keep busy so I gave her the task of decorating this room.”

My smile was undeniably large, I loved listening to him speak. “And the bathroom as well?” I asked.

“Oh, no. That” He paused “was my wife’s idea.” His smile reshaped itself into a sad grin. Before I could even comment he stated “She’s passed away.”

Instantly I came to the realization that he was a very lonely man. He was the last of his kind, and he’s lost his wife, his friends… I mean he referred to them in pass tense, so where were they? Gone. “I’m sorry.” I whispered. My feet began to move before my brain processed what they were doing and before I knew it my arms were around his middle, squeezing him in a good ole American hug. “I wish I knew what to say, but truly, I am so sorry.” He hugged me tight, rubbing his hands up my back. 

“It’s alright now.” His eyes glistened on the verge of tears. “I’m alright.” 

 

“Where do you want to go?” the Doctor asked, spinning and pushing buttons on the console in the control room. 

“I want a day in if that’s okay. I’m not used to all this quite yet and I’m a bit fatigued.” It was hard to say it, but it was even harder to look at his face after the fact. He seemed so disappointed. “I mean, we should get to know each other first too, right?” Again the look he had was terribly upsetting to watch. “How about a movie? Or perhaps a swim? Dancing?” 

“All of it, let’s do all of them.” He was quite an active bugger. That is for sure. He led me quickly to the swimming pool. The changing rooms were adorable striped tents. Inside were quite a few bathing suits to choose from. I picked a navy blue and white striped one piece and threw a short white dress cover over it. I came out of the room arms up in display. “What do you think?” 

He sat, feet in the water at the steps. “I think you look stunning. Absolutely stunning.” He smiled ear to ear and chuckled to himself. He was sporting long red swim trunks and a white tank. 

The water was cold at first but as he took my hand and led me in, I had started getting used to it. Or perhaps it was just his body heat. Either way, it was quite enjoyable. “What if I were to tell you there were sharks in these waters?” 

“Sharks in the swimming pool?” I smirked. 

“I can do anything I want with my pool, why not have sharks?” He shrugged.

“You… you don’t though? Right?” The water was crystal clear, with no dark figures in sight. I looked up into his eyes, worried even so. “Right?” Suddenly I felt something glide against my ankle. “OH MY GOSH” I screamed jumping midway out of the water, wrapping my arms about his neck and legs around his waist. “GET ME OUT I WANT OUT OH MY GOSH I’M ABOUT TO DIE AND I HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN THE WORLD YET!” 

His laughter filled the room, spilling over every crack and crevice. If there was anyone else in the Tardis, they would have come running. His arms were thick, muscle holding me from under the water. I placed my head against his shoulder, my face in his neck and cried. A bit of giggle came out between sobs, so he knew I was alright. “Sorry.” He chuckled. 

“It’s alright” I said sitting back “I tend to over react.” I wiped my hands across my mascara stained face. “Not a fan of sharks.”

“I’ll have to remember that.” He smirked, kissing my cheek gently. 

 

“How old are you anyway?” I asked, walking around the console, hovering my fingers over the delicate yet dangerous buttons. His head remained down, glasses on, pushing and pulling at different levers and gadgets. 

“Are you sure you want to know that?” Never once did he look up. Nor was there true concern in his voice. At my silence he continued “You see, some people are a bit put off by my age. So I ask, just to make sure you truly want to know.”

“What, are you like a young looking 60 year old or something? That would be a bit a weird. You can’t be older than 40, and honestly that’s really pushing it.” 

“So you really do want to know then?” He spun around, folding his arms together, leaning against the console. I nodded shyly. “I’m nearly 1,546 years old.” 

I was absolutely stunned. By body was frozen in place. It was a miracle my lips could move at all. “You’re… what?” 

“Yes, I’m quite old. Thanks to regenerations, and my beautiful species DNA, I can remain young and handsome for almost forever.” He smiled brightly, proud of his kind. 

“Well, you are possibly the sexiest old man I have ever seen.” Heat began to rise into my cheeks. I thought about it before I said it, but then, I still said it. He looked down at his shoes and blushed. A somewhat smug look on his face. 

“Thank you.” He said and laughed. 

“Yep…” 

 

“These other women” I paused considering the men as well “These other companions. They all seem so brave.” I said walking back from the book shelf to sit next to the Doctor. The fireplace was roaring with colorful flames. Blue, pink, purple, white, green. A rainbow of heat. The big red armchair was more comfy than expected. It seemed to suck you in as you sit upon it. Going further and further into fabric and stuffing. 

“Yes. They were. They were all brilliant.” A sad look sat across his face. His brow was furrowed, stress lines appearing on his forehead. His mouth was in a deep frown, and his tired eyes looked more distressed than ever. 

“Then why’d you pick me?” I whispered. 

“Because, I’m a Doctor. And I could tell, you needed my help. And I could tell, I needed yours.” His voice did not waver. He picked up his cup of tea and sipped it gingerly. “Do you doubt me? Do you doubt my decision?” 

“I don’t doubt that I need you, Doctor. But, what on earth can I help you with?” I took a deep shaky breath. “I’m not… I’m not brave like your other companions. I don’t work well under pressure. The best I can do is keep you company.” 

“Serenity, you are plenty brave. You jumped into a police box with a stranger because he told you he could take you into space. You agreed to go to space with a stranger. You’re a believer. A dreamer and that is why I picked you. Too many people on your planet don’t believe anymore. They don’t dream or think outside the box. But you… you knew I was an alien right away and didn't bat an eye. In fact, you laughed and asked what species I was.” He took another sip of tea. “That is what I look for in a companion. And that is why I picked you.”

My gaze on the fire broke to look into his eyes. “And that’s also how you knew I needed you then?” 

He nodded slowly. “Someone happy with their situation would refuse. You were incredibly eager.”

“I’ve always dreamed of leaving. Traveling the world. Seeing every beautiful thing I could before it was my time to kick the bucket.” I said leaving the comfy chair to rest against the large brick of the fireplace. “I’m 22 years old and I’ve only ever been to Washington D.C and the many beaches of Florida. D.C was a school trip, and I’ve lived in Florida my whole life so…” I looked down at my shoes. “I never had the money to travel. I always thought, if I did get to, it would be with a boyfriend or husband. Not a handsome alien who saves the lives of humans and steals girls away from their dreadfully average lives.” He snickered. I pulled my hair out of my face and took a deep breath. “Thank you. Maybe you know, or maybe you don’t but I wasn’t in the best place when you arrived. And thank you again, for giving me the opportunity to do what I’ve always dreamed of without asking for money or other favors.” 

“I would never.” He stated. I nodded vigorously. 

“I know.” A weak smile stole my lips. “And I know you try to stay as far from romantic as you can with your companions. But can you be honest with me for a moment. Because I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and I don’t want to miss out on anything.” 

“What is it?” he asked, his head cocked to the side in confusion. 

“Do you find me at all attractive? Physically and spiritually.”

“Serenity, I am attracted to you. But I can’t…”

“Stop. Please. I can feel it Doctor. These are the last of my days. Just humor me.” I rushed. His eyes pierced mine. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. He pushed himself out of his chair and walked slowly towards me. We were not too far from each other so he was there in mere seconds. He wrapped his arms around me, tucking my head beneath his chin. Lips pressed into my temple and again on my hair. 

“Alright.” He whispered and took my hands in his. Backwards, he led me away from the pit and into a large empty space in the room. He let go of my left hand in order to pull his sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket. He pointed the device towards an unknown area, it buzzed a sound I found beautiful, and music began to play. He placed the sonic back in his pocket, took my hand again and rested it about his neck. He then pressed his right hand on my waist and began to slowly move his hips and feet. “You wanted to dance.” He reminded me. I laughed a bit. The tears sliding down my face. They needed to come out or else the relaxation would never have found me. I was finally at peace after the tense conversation that had just occurred. I stared into his neck until he pressed his forehead down into hair. I looked up at him, his forehead then attaching to mine. 

“I hope I didn't force you into anything.” I whispered sadly.

“No.” he smiled. “No, I’ve longed for this.” And the truth was, he really did. Can you even imagine living over a thousand years (minus the married ones and Rose) without actually touching or dancing or anything with the people you travel with? The people you care about. Can you imagine purposefully pushing them away just a bit so they are not attached to you and you are not attached to them? I hoped he wouldn’t be hurt when I was gone. It would be my fault. I broke the barrier for selfish reasons. But I wanted to fulfill my dream. 

Together, our bodies swayed to the music. For a moment I almost believed it was all a dream. That none of what had happened was real. It was all in my head. But when he put his hand on the side of my face, pushing my hair back and pressed his lips to mine with the utmost care, I knew it was real. The heat beating against my cheeks was real. The butterflies tearing through my stomach were real. My hearts uneven pitter patter was real. The lack of air to my lungs was so incredibly real. So perfect and impossibly real. 

After a while we broke apart completely, dance and all. The only part of us still touching was his left hand holding my right hand. He led me through the long winding hallways to my bedroom. At the door he kissed my nose and whispered “Goodnight, my dear Serenity.” 

“Goodnight Doctor.” I smiled. He pressed the door open for me, bowed like a gentleman, and took his leave.


End file.
